Biblical Evidence For the Sacrament of Confirmation

Some of the passages below were drawn from "Where Is Confirmation in the Bible?" -- in the bestsellingNew Catholic Answer Bible, by Dr. Paul Thigpen. I've added many more, presently. I'm co-author of the "apologetic inserts" in that Bible, but Paul wrote this particular one. I had compiled a number of Bible passages in the originalCatholic Answer Bible(I was sole author of those inserts). The latter is now available for as low as $2.34, used, at amazon. The newer version is bit more! The first version, alas, never mentioned my name as author: talk about humility . . . All passages are RSV.

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The Holy Spirit's Descent Upon Persons / "Received" / "Poured Out"

Wisdom 9:17Who has learned thy counsel, unless thou hast given wisdom andsent thy holy Spiritfrom on high?Matthew 3:16And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw theSpirit of God descendinglike a dove, and alighting on him; (cf. Isaiah 11:2: "And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him")

Luke 2:25Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and theHolySpirit was upon him.

Luke 11:13If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Fathergive the HolySpiritto those who ask him!"John 1:33. . . `He on whom you see theSpirit descendand remain, . . .

John 20:22And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them,"Receive the HolySpirit."

Acts 2:1-3When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of amighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to themtongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each oneof them.

Acts 2:15-18For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day; but this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: `And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I willpour out my Spiritupon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; yea, and on my menservants and my maidservants in those days I willpour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.

Acts 2:33Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and havingreceivedfrom the Father thepromise of the HolySpirit, he haspoured outthis which you see and hear.

Acts 2:38And Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shallreceive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 5:32. . . theHolySpiritwhom God hasgivento those who obey him."

Acts 8:14-16Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Sama'ria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they mightreceive the Holy Spirit; for it had not yetfallen onany of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Acts 10:44-45,47While Peter was still saying this, theHolySpirit fell on allwho heard the word. And the believers from among the circumcised who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of theHolySpirit had been poured outeven on the Gentiles. . . . "Can any one forbid water for baptizing these people who havereceived the HolySpiritjust as we have?"

Acts 11:15As I began to speak, theHolySpirit fell on themjust as on us at the beginning.

Acts 15:8And God who knows the heart bore witness to them,giving them the HolySpiritjust as he did to us;

Acts 19:2And he said to them, "Did youreceive the HolySpiritwhen you believed?"

Romans 5:5. . . God's love has been poured into our hearts through theHoly Spirit which has been givento us.

1 Thessalonians 4:8. . . God, whogives his HolySpiritto you.

Baptism With the Holy Spirit

Matthew 3:11"I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry; he willbaptize you with the HolySpiritand with fire.

Mark 1:8I have baptized you with water; but he willbaptize you with the HolySpirit."

Luke 3:16. . . he willbaptize you with the Holy Spiritand with fire.

John 1:33. . . this is he whobaptizes with the Holy Spirit.'
Acts 1:5for John baptized with water, but before many days you shall bebaptized with the HolySpirit.

Acts 11:16And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, `John baptized with water, but you shall bebaptized with the HolySpirit.'

Being "Filled" With the Holy Spirit

Luke 1:15he will befilled with the HolySpirit, even from his mother's womb.

Luke 1:41. . . Elizabeth wasfilled with the HolySpirit.Luke 1:67And his father Zechari'ah wasfilled with the Holy Spirit,

Luke 4:1And Jesus,full of the HolySpirit, . . .Acts 2:4And they were allfilled with the Holy Spirit. . .

Acts 4:8Then Peter,filled with the HolySpirit, . . .

Acts 4:31And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were allfilled with the HolySpiritand spoke the word of God with boldness.

Acts 6:5. . . Stephen, a manfull offaith and of theHolySpirit. . .

Acts 7:55But he,full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;

Acts 11:24for he was a good man,full of the HolySpiritand of faith. . . .

Acts 13:9But Saul, who is also called Paul,filled with the HolySpirit, . . .

Acts 8:17-20Then theylaid their hands on themand theyreceived the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through thelaying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, "Give me also this power, that any one on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." But Peter said to him, "Your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!

Acts 9:17So Anani'as departed and entered the house. Andlaying his hands on himhe said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may regain your sight and befilled with the HolySpirit."

Acts 13:2-4While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting,the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for meBarnabas and Saul for the work to which I havecalledthem." Then after fasting and praying theylaid their hands on themand sent them off. So, beingsent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleu'cia; and from there they sailed to Cyprus.

1 Timothy 4:14 (?)Do not neglect thegiftyou have, which was given you by prophetic utterance when the council of elderslaidtheir hands upon you.

2 Timothy 1:6(?)Hence I remind you to rekindle thegift of God that is within youthrough thelaying on of my hands;

"Sealed" With the Holy Spirit

2 Corinthians 1:22he has put hissealupon us and given us hisSpiritin our hearts as a guarantee.Ephesians 1:13-14In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, weresealed with the promised HolySpirit, which is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 4:30And do not grieve theHolySpiritof God, in whom you weresealedfor the day of redemption.

Anointing With Oil For a Sacred Purpose or to Receive the Holy Spirit

Exodus 28:41And you shall put them upon Aaron your brother, and upon his sons with him, and shallanointthem and ordain them andconsecratethem, that they may serve me as priests.

Leviticus 16:32And the priest who isanointedandconsecratedas priest in his father's place shall make atonement, wearing the holy linen garments;1 Samuel 10:1Then Samuel took a vial ofoiland poured it on his head, and kissed him and said, "Has not the LORDanointed youto be prince over his people Israel?

1 Samuel 16:13Then Samuel took the horn of oil, andanointedhim in the midst of his brothers; andthe Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon Davidfrom that day forward.

Isaiah 61:1TheSpirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD hasanointedme . . .

Luke 4:18TheSpirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hasanointedme to preach good news to the poor